Letter to the Editor

Note: Can be adapted to suit drawing local district lines (such as city or county council)

[Name]

[League Name (if applicable)]

[Location]

[Town, State Zip]

[Phone Number]

[Email Address]

[Date]

[Editor’s Name or Newspaper]

[Newspaper Address]

[Town, State Zip]

Note: Please adapt these letters to your own community and check your local paper's word limit for published letters.

Editor:

If voters are tired of nothing getting done in [Your State Capital], they should support redistricting reform. Partisan gridlock prevents our state lawmakers from effectively addressing the issues Americans care about most, including the state budget, health care reform, education funding, and water and the environment, to name a few. Contributing to this ongoing problem is the fact that legislators are allowed to draw their own district lines to guarantee their reelection. As a result, our lawmakers are not accountable to voters. In fact, even as legislative approval ratings continue to plummet, nearly 99 percent of incumbent legislators are reelected every year.

We need an independent citizens commission to draw fair district lines so we can hold politicians accountable.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

************

Editor:

Legislators drawing their own district boundaries is a major conflict of interest that contributes to partisan gridlock and prevents voters from holding lawmakers accountable. [Your state] needs a system that removes that conflict while encouraging citizen participation and community input. An independent nonpartisan redistricting commission does that.

District lines have long been drawn in backroom deals at the Capitol. Voters need an open, transparent redistricting process with an independent citizens commission that includes Democrats, Republicans and members not associated with either party. The commission should represent our state’s diversity and protect minority representation.

I urge people in my community to learn more about what an independent redistricting citizens commission and to tell our office holders in [state capital] to enact legislation that reflects this fairer process for drawing district lines.